Lias Slow Food community peaks with indigenous foods and heritage

LIAS, Barlig, Mountain Province – The global movement for Slow Food communities has reached this remote place!
Last March 22, 2025, the community of Lias, composed of Lias Silangan and Lias Kanluran barangays, converged at the Lias Elementary School Open Gym to launch the first ever Slow food festival in the province.
With the theme “Man-or-ornong taku: A Festival of Lias’ Traditional Food and Heritage”, the event aimed to showcase the indigenous tribal cuisines for the youth to appreciate and later promote.
Daniel Maches, an environmentalist and coffee advocate, initiated the activity to raise awareness and appreciation among the people on the local culture and tradition of preparing
local cuisines as exotic foods made of local herbs, plants, fishes, and animals.
“The event will also be the kick-off activity for more Slow Food related activities such as documentation of foods and traditions at risk of extinction, value chains, and establishment of
Slow Food communities”, he said. A message from Director Jovita Ganongan of the Department of Tourism – Cordillera Administrative Region was read by Ms. Angie Fagutao, in her introduction of slow food and why it matters to the indigenous communities, remarked that “slow food” has been practiced by the communities long before the concept was formally introduced.
Many are not aware of the difference of slow food and fast food. It was learned that the fast foods are usually fried as those being served by the Jollibee and McDonald’s food chains while the slow foods are those that need to be cooked in longer periods such as ‘inanger, pinikpikan, and other indigenous cuisines.
Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr., in his message of support relayed by this writer, said that the slow food initiatives showcase ‘our traditional cooking of indigenous materials’ that adds to tourism and cultural endeavors that he and his administration support.
“Let us promote tourism and our unique culture for the world to appreciate”, he quipped as he asked for the support of the people to the tourism advocacies of the provincial government.
He cited the establishment of the statue of the Barlig Eagle that has become an added tourist attraction.
Barlig Mayor Clark Ngaya also pushed for the Slow Food initiatives that must be sustained and promoted. It was learned that the LGU and the local officials even supported the initial community.
In an electronic message pre-recorded and relayed through a TV monitor, Senator Loren Legarda cited the importance of “slow food” as related to environmental conservation and the age-old tradition of food production.
Lamen Gonnay, ABC councilor in Pasil, Kalinga and the Co-founder of the Slow Food community of Pasil, recounted how they had endured the hardship of establishing the slow food concept and, through the years, how they gained recognition from the community and the municipal LGU. Their journey had not been easy.
He mentioned that “slow Food” in Lias is very privileged as they have secured the support of the municipal and provincial LGUs. “That way, its easier for you to advocate”, he said.
Rowena Gonnay, Slow Food Community of Pasil, Kalinga talked about how Slow Food is transforming lives and preserving local indigenous food heritage in Pasil.
Dr. Penelope Domogo, Co-Founder of Gaia Café, shared the health benefits of Slow Food lifestyle and why it matters now while Armand Camhol, owner of Tipsy Bulul Wine, talked about how to make quality wines using heirloom and indigenous ingredients.
Other speakers were Eli Natividad of Farm to Cup Philippines, Jonathan Hernandez, and Rafael Dionisio. Jonathan Hernandez, a Professor at UP, underscored the relation of preserving the forest, the mountains, the natural resources and the organic food production which is the way slow food is advocating.
Barangay Captains Rexibar Charaychay of Lias Silangan and Romeo Amawan of Lias Kanluran both stated that they are glad that the “slow Food” has been established in the community. They said that they support the initiative of the Igorot Youth Eco-Cultural Warriors of Mountain Province led by Daniel Maches, a native of this place.**Roger Sacyaten